5.01.2010

This has been an amazing week in both good and bad ways. At my age I should know that when people start to attack and provoke me out of the blue, then something good is brewing in the universe for me, and they sense that. My spirit has been both deflated and elated this week. But what kept me centered is that I know my worth , value , and talent. And no one , no matter how well meaning they think they are,can take that away from me, especially as they have no bearing or impact on my future what so ever. Besides having a healthy, yet sensitive sense of self, these little recipes brought me joy in the kitchen this week. Some other things that have brought me joy are hearing from dear old friends from long ago, and a new part time job , in a professional kitchen. I auditioned and got hired hired at a caterer not far from the house. African American owned and primarily serving an upscale clientele of movers and shakers . My first night I looked up from my cutting board of quartering potatoes and see Mayor Richard Daley walking through the kitchens on a tour as a fundraiser was being held. I love this job and love working with the executive chef who I get to speak some french with.So you see everything turns around in the end for the best.
I always love the pickled pink vegetables that are served with my Middle Eastern takeouts both here and in Europe. I never really knew what I was crunching on but I loved them. Come to find out they were pickled turnips with the addition of beets to give the color. I searched the web for a recipe and most seemed to not rather simple not requiring process, just sitting in a jar for a few days. I really wanted to use my Weck Jars and decided to alter the recipe a bit. I processed mine in a water bath. While a little softer, they are just as refreshing and tangy as I remembered. Next time I will decrease my water bath to 10 minutes as opposed to 20. These turnips make a great addition to salads, grilled chicken, lamb, or beef.

Boil your beets with skin for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool. Peel and quarter. Set aside.
Blanch the peeled and sliced turnips in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Allow to cool.

Pack each jar with 2 pieces of quartered beet, turnips, garlic, and celery leaves.
In a saucepan boil vinegar and water with the salt. Pour the hot vinegar solution over the turnips . Seal and process in a water batch for 10 minutes. Remove from water and allow to cool on a rack for 24 hours.

Kale Salad really doesnt require a formal recipe. I thought the concept of a kale salad was strange at first. But one bite and you feel the healthy leafy green energizing your body. I can imagine many variations for this salad, but I kept it simple with items most of us have on hand. I have found the key is to massage your bite size kale pieces with the oil of your choice to soften it.Kale Salad Wash and dry your kale. Remove large center stem and tear the kale into bite size pieces. With your hands , massage the kale with olive oil for a few minutes. Add carrots, tomatoes, garlic,slivered onion, and finish with Balsamic Vinegar. Chill and serve. Can keep for about 2-3 days in the refrigerator.